New York State PTA, with a membership of nearly 380,000 parents,
teachers, students, administrators and community members advocate for all
children. These are our legislative issues priorities for 2006.
Support for
Public Education:
- Support adequate funding for districts to provide sufficientprofessional development for educators so they can in turn help allstudents achieve a Regent’s diploma or other assessments as required;
- Support education finance reform to provide equitable funding for asound basic education for all children in New York State;
- Support funding for Universal Pre-K initiatives;
- Support the provision of educational opportunities for all childrenincluding homeless children;
- Support full funding for IDEA and NCLB;
- Oppose the diversion of public funds from public schools forvouchers, tuition tax credits;
- Support adequate funding for maintenance and modernization of schoolfacilities;
- Support funding for education mandates and continued support forfiscal independence of school districts;
- Support changing the method of funding for charter schools.
Safe and Nurturing Environments:
- Support healthy choices initiatives
- Support initiatives that foster a supportive school climate;
- Support class size reduction efforts;
- Support school-based before school and after school programs;
- Support initiatives to require the use of seat belts on all schoolbuses;
- Support legislation advocating for child nutrition, WICreauthorization and issues of obesity.
Parent Involvement:
- Support parent involvement based on National PTA Standards inpolicies in state legislation, regulations and officialproclamations/executive orders.
